LESSON SEVEN
Teaching Disciples, Part One
Mark eight

SEEING CLEARLY
Mark 8:22 And he came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to him, and besought him to touch him.
8:23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
8:25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

WHY TWO TOUCHES?
The restoration of sight for this blind man is symbolic of the growth of faith. In the disciples' minds the true identity of Jesus was just beginning, their faith was weak and clouded with human limitations They could see it only dimly as it developed step by step. Remember just previously in Mark 8:14-21 in connection with the leaven, when the disciples only interpreted Jesus words as speaking of literal bread, Jesus exposed their lack of spiritual discernment and faith? Jesus was seeking to build their faith in Who He literally was and why He had come to this earth.

DON'T TELL ANYONE
Why not tell everyone that Jesus was the Messiah? Isn't this what everyone needs to know?
But the people were not ready. The true meaning of Messiah and His mission on earth was basically unknown by the people. They wanted a military deliverer not a Savior.
They would see the pronouncement like men seeing a tree walking, something to use for their own political advancement. They first need faith in a Savior to save them from their sins.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN
When we present the gospel story do we take into consideration the present understanding of the audience? For example, have we presented the Sabbath before they know the Lord of the Sabbath?

LESSON SEVEN
Teaching Disciples, Part One
Mark eight

Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
8:32 And he spoke that saying openly. And Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him.
8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for you are not in favor of the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Peter has just acknowledged his realization that Jesus Christ is the Messiah come down from heaven.
Now Jesus begins to explain to them, as He had explained it previously to Nicodemus, (John 3:14-15) what the heavenly Messiah's mission on earth entails.

Why were the disciples so strongly opposed to Jesus' words?

When Jesus started talking about the cross and the resurrection, it was just so dramatically opposite to what the disciples expected of the Messiah, that it was just not acceptable, it just couldn't be true. It must not happen!



A Messiah who suffers and is executed on a cross just didn't match their expectations Their Messiah was to produce spectacular victories with miraculous powers vanquishing all Israel's enemies, and they were to be important men over Israel, beside this conquering King.

But if God Himself, wanted Messiah to die, what did that mean for them?
It might well be His will that the Messiah's disciples should also suffer and possibly die a horrible death. The disciples were not thinking about "everlasting life" at this point, their minds were in the channel of this earth wanting fame and glory and power and a good earthly life.
Even later they were still arguing over who would be greatest in their hoped for earthly kingdom.

Get behind me Satan

Jesus is not calling Peter, Satan. But Peter's words originated from Satan.

LESSON SEVEN
Teaching Disciples, Part One
Mark Nine

The Mount of Transfiguration

Jesus wanted to lift the disciples thoughts above the humiliation and poverty of this world, so Jesus now points the disciples to His coming glorious kingdom. It was not about an earthly throne here in the present world, but one with the glory of God and eternal life in heavenly glory. He takes three disciples, Peter, James and John to show them a small glimpse of His kingdom.

Mark 9:1 And He said to them, Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.

What does the text mean? To the disciples this glory seemed far away. Their thoughts were fixed upon the possibility of an earthly life of poverty, humiliation, and suffering. Would they have to give up their glowing expectations of what they had understood about the Messiah's kingdom? Were they not to see their Lord exalted to the throne of David? It was all so confusing to them.

Now Jesus tells them some of them would not taste death till they see the glory of the kingdom of God!
Concerning the phrase "will not taste death" the Adventist Bible Commentary notes: "It is significant that all three Synoptic Gospels record the narrative of the Transfiguration immediately following this prediction. (SDABC vol. 5:p.436)

Mark 9:2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart y themselves, and He was transfigured before them.
3. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

It is evening as Jesus and the three disciples climb up the mountain. Near the summit, they kneel to pray. The disciples soon fall asleep but Jesus continues to pray.
"He pleads that his disciples may witness a manifestation of His divinity that will comfort them in the hour of His supreme agony with the knowledge that He is of a surety the Son of God and that His shameful death is a part of the plan of redemption. {DA 419.4}
"His prayer is heard. While He is bowed in lowliness upon the ground, suddenly the heavens open, the golden gates of the city of God are thrown wide, and holy radiance descends upon the mount, enshrouding the Saviour's form. Divinity from within flashes through humanity, and meets the glory coming from above. Arising from His prostrate position, Christ stands in godlike majesty. The soul agony is gone. His countenance now shines "as the sun," and His garments are "white as the light." {DA 421.1}
The disciples, awaking, behold the flood of glory that illuminates the mount. In fear and amazement they gaze upon the radiant form of their Master. As they become able to endure the wondrous light, they see that Jesus is not alone.

WHY MOSES AND ELIJAH?

They were symbolic of the redeemed. Moses represented those who shall come forth
from the grave at the resurrection of the just. Elijah, who had been translated to heaven without seeing death, represented those who will be living upon the earth at Christ's second coming, and who will be "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;" when "this mortal must put on immortality," and "this corruptible must put on incorruption." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.

The Saviour's promise to the disciples was now fulfilled. Upon the mount the future kingdom of glory was represented in miniature,--Christ the King, Moses a representative of the risen saints, and Elijah of the translated ones.

Mark 9:7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son; hear Him.

LESSON EIGHT
Teaching Disciples, Part Two
Mark Ten

God's plan for Marriage

10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

The context is in a discussion of divorce.
But divorce is a result and sign of sin and a failure of mankind finding God's plan, not only for marriage, but also God's plan for our lives.
Divorce is caused by the innate selfishness of human nature, and humans excuse and seek divorce due to the level of selfishness in one or the other, or of both partners.

What is God's plan for marriage?
What was it to represent?
What was it's experience to be like?
What does it mean to be "one" in the Biblical sense?

LESSON EIGHT
Teaching Disciples, Part Two
Mark Ten

God's plan for Marriage
Our God is a covenant God, and a marriage covenant is to be symbolic of God's everlasting covenant with His people.

"God hates divorce," most literally means God hates when couples are faithless to their partners, violate their covenant, and send them away.
In the Jewish economy it was the man who could divorce, he could initiate it and send his partner away, the woman really didn't have much of a choice. A divorced woman had very few resources to fall back on. Much of the strong words are against the men who break their marriage covenant and reject their wives for selfish reasons.
It renders a covenant virtually meaningless. How can people understand the binding promises of a covenant when they so easily toss aside their covenants, made before God, to their partner?

The idea of "rejection," failure to love, honor and cherish, the disloyalty, the disregard of the pledges of the covenant they made, and thus ending the marriage, is a tragic picture.
Our world emphasizes self first, but when one or both fight for self first rights, and seek to gratify their self desires at the expense of the partner, there can be no oneness.
A covenant is an important pledge to love, honor, respect, cherish and be faithful to each other.

Malachi is pretty strong on this subject!

Malachi 2:11-16 ties together the two concepts. The nation of Judea has married daughters of foreign gods, (they are unfaithful to God) they have put away their wives (unfaithful to their wives) and broken God's covenant. Then they come to the temple with their sacrifice with weeping and in tears, but God rejects their sacrifice, because they have broken the covenant with the wife of their youth, by which they were to raise godly children.

Paul gives a very important formula to men for marriage.
Ephesians 5:25-31
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it....So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
or no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: When that kind of love is evident in a marriage then respect for, and willing co-operation with her husband, whom she also loves, is much easier.
Selfless love, respect and faithfulness in both, bind a couple together and brings them into the true oneness God intended.

LESSON EIGHT
Teaching Disciples, Part Two
Mark Ten

JESUS AND THE CHILDREN
Mark 10:13-16 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them].
But when Jesus saw [it], he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put [his] hands upon them, and blessed them.

Christ places a high esteem on children. He died for them just a verily as He died for you and me!
Children are the heritage of the Lord, and the plan of redemption includes their salvation as well as ours.

"The soul of the little child that believes in Christ is as precious in His sight as are the angels about His throne. They are to be brought to Christ and trained for Christ. They are to be guided in the path of obedience, not indulged in appetite or vanity." {AH 279.3}

"Children are most susceptible to the teachings of the gospel; their hearts are open to divine influences, and strong to retain the lessons received. The little children may be Christians, having an experience in accordance with their years. {FLB 270.4}

" Never allow your children to suppose that they are not children of God until they are old enough to be baptized. If properly instructed, very young children may have correct views of their state as sinners and of the way of salvation through Christ. {FLB 270.7}

The work of raising children for the Lord and for useful service is the most important work for parents.

"The mothers of the present day are making the society of the future. How important that their children be so brought up that they shall be able to resist the temptations they will meet on every side in later life! {FE 159.1}

" We must cultivate useful habits in our children, and must instruct them in the things of God. It costs something to do all this. It costs prayers and tears, and patient, oft-repeated
instruction. We are sometimes put to our wit's end to know what to do; but we can take the children to God in our prayers, pleading that they may be kept from evil, praying, "Now, Lord, do Thy work; soften and subdue the hearts of our children," and He will hear us. He hearkens to the prayers of the weeping, careworn mothers. When Christ was on earth, the burdened mothers brought their children to Him; they thought that if He would lay His hands upon them, they would have better courage to bring them up as they ought to go. The Saviour knew why these mothers came to Him with their little ones, and He rebuked the disciples, who would have kept them away, saying, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Jesus loves the little ones, {FE 160.3}

LESSON EIGHT
Teaching Disciples, Part Two
Mark Ten

Jesus and a Young Adult (Choosing between worldly security or the Best Investment)

Mark 10:17-22 And as Jesus was going out on the road, there came one running, and knelt before him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why do you call me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God.
You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing you still lack: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
These words made the young man sad, and he turned away sorrowfully, for he had great possessions.

The chapter so far has placed considerable emphases on the family.
The importance of marriage in which there is love, respect and commitment, in which they are to find a oneness, not only physically but spiritually, and in their purpose of life, with the result that godly children will be raised. And that parents are to bring their children to Jesus at an early age, introducing them to Jesus, seeking His blessing, and teaching them the ways of truth.
Now we come to a young adult. A young man of which it is specifically said that Jesus loved him.

Jesus first words to this young man is a question, basically asking the young man if he understands who He, Jesus, really is. "Why are you calling Me good?" Does the young man recognize Christ's divinity? Does he recognize that Jesus has come to this world to give eternal life. The young man is obviously recognizing that he needs something more than what he is and has, he's been applying the law to his life for as long as he can remember. He's been raised to observe the law, he had also been taught to look upon the rich as the favorites of heaven. But inside he realizes it's not enough. "What shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" he asked.
What He needs is a Savior.

THE BIG DECISION

The biggest decision people make is their choice between following Jesus with all their heart and mind, or choosing the temporal securities of this life above Jesus.

The young man came to Christ because he saw in Him something he wanted. His heart was drawn toward the Saviour. But he was not ready to accept the Saviour's principle of self-sacrifice. He chose his riches before Jesus. He wanted eternal life, but would not receive into the soul that unselfish love which alone is life, and with a sorrowful heart he turned away from Christ.

The young man turned away sorrowfully, but I think the greater sorrow was in Jesus' heart. It specifically says, Jesus loved him!

LESSON NINE
Jerusalem Controversies
Mark 11

The last week of Jesus life on earth receives the greatest emphases in all four gospels.
While there is some question on the exact order of the events, the following general sequence is fairly clear.

TRIP TO JERUSALEM -- they pass through Jericho where blind Bartimaeus cries out, and says, Jesus, thou son of David. Basically (though not intentionally) announcing Israel's true king was approaching Jerusalem. (Mark 10:46-50)

FRIDAY -- Jesus arrives in Bethany. Where He apparently stays with Mary, Martha, Lazarus. (Matt. 17:21

SATURDAY -- They go to a supper at Simon's house. (Mark 14:3-9, John 12:1- 8; Matthew 26:6-13. Luke 7:36-48)

SUNDAY -- The triumphal entry, after which they return to Bethany. (Mark 11:7-10, John 12: Matthew 21:7-9. Luke 19:35-41)

MONDAY -- Returns to Jerusalem from Bethany, passing a fruitless fig tree (Mark 11:13, Matt. 21:18-21)
MONDAY -- Second cleansing of the temple (Matt. 21:12-15, Mark 11:15)
MONDAY -- Teaching in the temple.

TUESDAY --The fig tree withered. (Mark 11:20)
TUESDAY -- Last day at temple, Greek pilgrims seek out Jesus (John 12:20)
TUESDAY -- God speaks from heaven confirming Christ (John 12: 28-31)
TUESDAY -- Judas finalizes a bargain with priests to betray Jesus to them. (Matt. 26:14, Mark 14:10, Luke 22:3-6)

WEDNESDAY -- Most likely time Jesus spent with disciples explaining prophecies on destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. (Mark 13, Matthew 24, Luke 21:6-36)


THURSDAY -- Preparation for Passover meal.
THURSDAY EVENING -- Last supper
THURSDAY NIGHT -- Gethsemane, and Jesus betrayal and arrest
THURSDAY NIGHT -- Illegal trial before the Sanhedrin

FRIDAY -- Continuing trials -- Pilate, Herod and back to Pilate
FRIDAY -- Crucified and buried

SABBATH -- Resting in the tomb, guard of soldiers at the tomb

SUNDAY MORNING -- Resurrection
SUNDAY AFTERNOON -- walk to Emmaus
SUNDAY EVENING -- appears to disciples in upper room

LESSSON NINE

The Triumphal Entry

SUNDAY -- The triumphal entry (Mark 11:7-10, John 12:12-16 Matthew 21:7-9. Luke 19:35-41)

To get the full picture, read all the accounts of this day in Jesus ministry.

I often wonder why it is called the "Triumphal Entry".
It's actually a heartbreaking demonstration of failure.
Not God's failure, but the people's failure.

It's what "could have been", had they accepted Christ as their Messiah and Savior.
But here we see Jesus fulfilling His part, riding like a king coming to His temple, but it ends in Him crying bitterly as He sits on that donkey overlooking the doomed city.

Luke gives us the emotional side of that scene.
First the rejoicing Luke 19:37-38, and then the bitter tears.

Luke 19:41-44 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If you only knew, even you, at least in this your day, the things which belong unto your peace! but now they are hid from your eyes.
For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a trench about you, and completely surround you, and keep you in on every side And shall lay you even with the ground, and your children within you; and they shall not leave in you one stone upon another; because you did not know the time of your visitation.


Though Jerusalem failed, it's definitely not complete failure, it was still a victory presentation pointing to the glorious future, in the greater view of victory over all sin. We realize it will be fully fulfilled in the earth made new, when sin will be no more, and peace will cover the earth, and Jesus will be king forever. Yet, what would it have been like if Jesus, as the Messiah from sin, and the bringer of righteousness had been accepted back then?

We can learn from this how much Christ wants to save, and how we pierce His heart when we reject the most wonderful gift Christ offers us.

LESSON NINE
JERUSALEM CONTROVERSIES

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

Mark 11:12-14 And on the morrow, (Monday morning, the day after the triumphal procession) when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find any figs thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

The show of leaves indicated that there should also be figs, even though it was early in the season.
The tree was symbolic of Israel with it's show of worshipping God, yet not producing the fruit this connection with God should produced, if it were a true connection.

Remember the day before Christ had fulfilled a Messianic prophecy, showing that He was the Messiah that was to come. He came to Jerusalem in a way the people should have recognized. But there was nothing. The temple, in which everything pointed to HIM, did not register any recognition at all that this triumphal procession meant anything.

Mark 11:11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

THE SYMBOLS OF ISRAEL



In contrast to that beautiful sculptured vine with it's massive clusters of fruit at the entrance to the temple, we find the story of that fig tree. That tree was the true representation of Jerusalem, with its showy wealth of leaves suggesting it's high connection with God, but it was barren of fruit.

That Monday, when Jesus pronounced the fig trees doom, it was symbolic of the doom that was soon to befall Jerusalem and the temple. He then entered the temple, where the money handlers were doing business as usual. Jesus drove them out, one more time, clearing the temple, where He spent the day ministering to the people, while priests and religious leaders tried to trap Him and stir up controversy looking for a way to destroy Him

The symbolic fig tree was dying, as Jerusalem's temple with it's religious leaders were cutting off their hope of salvation in those final days of Jesus, ministering in the temple.

The next morning as the disciples, with Jesus, passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (Mark 11:20)

And that evening (Tuesday) Jesus left the temple for the last time.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!
23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Jesus has no joy in seeing the wicked heading into everlasting destruction, He came down from heaven to save them, to give peace and freedom from sin, and He wept bitterly when they rejected Him.
But He came anyway for the joy of saving the remnant who believe and cling to Him, bringing forth the fruit of righteousness.